


Ligaya

by beautiful_as_endless



Category: Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral (2018), Heneral Luna (2015)
Genre: Multi, kalat, tamad ako mag-tag, team kingki rp canon, yes manang is back hai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2019-10-24 12:45:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17704511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautiful_as_endless/pseuds/beautiful_as_endless
Summary: The school fair is in full swing. Jools is a tongue-tied wreck, and it seems like the universe is conspiring against (or with) him.





	1. Sa Umaga

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is a photo booth, a jail booth, and an impromptu lunch date.

_ “Ilang awit pa ba ang aawitin, o giliw ko?” _

* * *

Jools was late. Or at least, he was as late as someone can possibly be during the university fair. He really wanted to sleep in; he was already planning to worry about his pending balance sheets at a latter, more urgent time. The next three days were supposed to be scheduled for sleep, sleep, and more precious sleep.

Unfortunately, the drinking session last Sunday meant that his perfectly planned life was ruined. His stupid drunk mouth promised that he would be helping his favorite brother  _ and _ his favorite brother’s grumpy best friend manage their photo booth, and they won’t ever live it down if he chickened out.

He barely had enough time to shower and brush his teeth. He wasn’t spending even more of it on making himself look presentable. It was a cold December morning anyway, so he settled for the first set of clothes he could fish out: a purple flannel shirt, a black undershirt, and some old gray jeans that probably once belonged to his even older brother.

He gave himself a quick look in the mirror. He looked presentable enough. His favorite gray beanie would be enough to hide most of his uncombed hair.

Yeeting himself to the fair was the real battle of the day.

* * *

One jeep ride and one frenzied run later, he finally made it to his  _ dear brother _ ’s booth.

The aforementioned brother, Goyong, was seated behind a small wooden table, fiddling with his camera while talking to his boyfriend, Ed Rusca. Neither of them acknowledged the newcomer, which wasn’t new. They had their own little world whenever they were together.

Vince Enriquez was sitting by their “booth”, which was nothing but a coffin that they painted a hot pink and sprinkled with glitters. Beside him was his boyfriend, Joven Hernando. They, too, were so engrossed in their own little world that an asteroid would probably hit them and they wouldn’t have noticed.

Jools, it seemed, would be the third wheel in this stupid school fair  _ again _ .

* * *

He rubbed his eyes tiredly. It was only noon but it already felt like he had just finished entertaining half the female population in his brother’s department. Jools wondered why all these girls from IT were willing to shell out money for a photo in that shining, shimmering, splendid coffin just to catch a glimpse of Goyong. It wasn’t like his brother was going to give them any attention with his peanut brain being too full of Rusca, Rusca, and more Rusca, but maybe his fans didn’t mind.

“Kuya.”

Speak of the devil and he doth appear, indeed. Goyong sat right beside his brother with a tired little huff and set his camera down on the table. “Hindi ka nag-almusal kanina no?”

Jools shrugged. “Kelan pa ako nag-almusal?”

“Pag hapon yung first class mo. Mauna ka nang kumain. Wala naman nang masyadong tao.”

“Eh ikaw?”

“Mamaya na kami. Keri pa. Nagyayaya ng samgyup si Vince.”

And of course, Jools wasn’t included in their plans, as usual. He was always the third wheel, whether it was because everyone was with their significant others or with their best friends.

“Sige, pero magtatagal ako--”

“Oi, del Pilar!” Janols, one of those  _ expired  _ kids from Engineering whose real name no one was really sure about, came running to their table with a shit-eating smile on his face. His mint-green shirt was stained with what looked like spilled coffee, and a plain white towelette was slung on one shoulder. He was clutching a toy handcuff.

“Sinong del Pilar yang tinatawag mo?” Goyong asked, raising his brow.

“Yung kuya mo.” A smirk perked up Janols’ lips as he eyed Jools with mirth. “Naka-flannel ka kaya you’re going to jail, bruh.”

Jools felt his stomach growl in hunger, eliciting a little scowl. “Pukinginang jail booth yan! Di ba pwedeng pass?”

“No can do. Di pwedeng mag-flop yung booth. Kailangan ko yung incentives sa Calc.”

Goyong shot his brother a pleading look. “Pagbigyan mo na, Kuya. We can handle our booth for a while.”

Jools huffed in resigned frustration. He was really looking forward to a huge meal already, but he supposed he would have to be a good boy and help his friend first. He held out his hand, which Janols cuffed quickly.

“Kinky no?” the engineering student noted with a snort. “Thirty minutes lang naman ‘pre, tapos pwede ka nang magbayad para lumayas.”

Jools rolled his eyes and let Janols drag him away from the photo booth and through the rest of the school fair. The smell of popcorn, freshly-baked cookies, and sisig wafted through the air in a cacophony of hunger-inducing sensations. He’ll probably binge on everything he can get his hands on as soon as he’s set free.

They just passed by some sticker booths when Janols held out a hand to stop him and turned to face someone. “Oi, Santiago!”

_ Santiago _ .

Jools felt his stomach perform an impressive backflip. He tried to focus on his breathing, knowing that he’d probably explode and do something stupid if he didn’t do otherwise.

“H-Hi, Kuya Janols! Bibili k-ka ba...? Red Santiago waved from one of the booths, his slender fingers fiddling with a couple of stickers. He was looking unbelievable good that day in a buttoned-up red flannel shirt and washed out jeans.

“Dehins, kid.” Janols smirked and dragged Jools with him as he approached his new  _ victim _ . “Flannel hour ngayon sa jail booth namin.”

“So, u-uhm... kasama ako diyan?”

Janols rolled his eyes and tugged at Jools, making him stumble forward. “Yeah. Kaso isa lang yung cuffs ko kaya share nalang kayo. Para kinky.”

Red raised his brows, his cheeks turning a bright shade of red. “Kinky t-talaga?”

Jools cleared his throat, hoping he wouldn’t sound like a half-strangled chicken. “Alam mo naman yang si Janols, gago yan.”

“Look who’s talking, pre, ikaw yung sumira sa videoke sa Wonder Park nung minsan--”

“Dude. Sira na siya nung pumunta kami dun.”

“U-Uhm--” Red scratched his cheek awkwardly. “Kuya J-Janols--”

“Ay, oo nga pala!” Janols tugged at the cuffs, effectively chaining Red and Jools together.

_ Fuck _ .

Janols clucked his tongue before shoving them forward. “Tara na, mga preso! Bawal yung mabagal!”

Jools almost stumbled as he began walking. He tried not to be  _ too _ aware of the boy walking beside him, hoping he wouldn’t give himself away.

“So, uhm, hi J-Jools,” Red chirped. “Pareho na tayong preso?”

A soft huff escaped Jools’ lips. “Yep. Kakain na talaga dapat ako kaso ayan. Preso na tayo.”

Red laughed softly as he nudged Jools with an elbow. “Okay lang yan! At least may kilala ka na sa booth. I’ll keep you company hanggang matapos to.”

“Huy, give and take yan, ha?” Jools nudged him back with a silly little grin on his face, butterflies stirring up a storm in his stomach. “Sasamahan din kita.”

“Thanks!”

The jail booth was just a fenced-off area not far from the sticker shops. A few other students in flannel were already crowding it, but Julian recognized none of them so far. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Janols tugged at the handcuff, releasing the pair before shoving them into the booth. “Diyan muna kayo! Behave, ha?”

“Behave behave ka diyan,” Jools grumbled with a glare. “Ikaw nga tong hinayupak na--”

Red pulled at his sleeve, shaking his head. “Tama na, please? Nandito na rin naman tayo.”

That was enough to soften Jools up. Relenting, he turned to his companion instead. “Sabagay. Thirty minutes lang naman. Gutom lang siguro ‘to.”

“Kung ililibre ba kita ng lunch magbe-behave ka?”

_ Libre. Lunch. Libreng lunch. Date? Date ba ‘to? _

Before he could stop himself, Jools was already nodding aggressively, an excited smile lighting up his lips. “Deal.”

Red shot a good-natured smile at Janols. “Ayun, Kuya. Basta free to bail na kami after thirty minutes ha?”

“Libreng libre.”

Janols chuckled and left them to their own devices.

Jools heard his stomach grumble. He patted it reassuringly.  _ Thirty minutes lang naman _ , he reminded himself.

“So, um, heh.” Red waved his arms in an adorably awkward way. “Jail booth.”

“Jail booth,” Jools echoed glumly.

A few seconds of silence passed. Jools’ gaze turned to the other people in the booth and spotted a couple of familiar faces. He turned away, feeling his cheeks burn red.

“Sana hindi ka na bad mood,” Red mumbled.

“Bad mood? Ako?” Jools shook his head and grinned. “Mahirap maging bad mood kapag--”

_ Kapag kasama kita. _

He shut his mouth before he said anything stupid.

Red tilted his head curiously. “Sorry, hindi ko narinig. Ano yun?”

“W-Wala. Nakalimutan ko na din yung sasabihin ko. A-Anyway, ano na nga palang balita sayo? Di kita masyadong nakikita sa campus lately.”

_ Smooth, Julian, smooth. _

“Sorry, medyo nabusy ako sa acads.” Red smiled good-naturedly, clearly oblivious to how flustered the other boy was. “Wala na rin akong balita sayo magmula nung masuspend ka last month--”

“Lasing ako nun, okay? Akala ko talaga hinaharass ka ni Bernal kasi and alam mo naman pag suspected harassment na--” He quickly shut his mouth, realizing just how much of a  _ dick  _ he was being at the moment.

“I appreciate the sentiment pero hindi naman excuse yun para suntukin mo siya sa ilong.”

“I’m sorry. Kupal move yun. You’re right. Hindi nga excuse yung pagiging lasing.”

He looked away as silence grew between them again.

Red kicked a stray pebble, sending it flying out of the barrier separating the jail booth from the rest of the fair. “Hindi ka naman dapat sa akin mag-apologize ah. Nag-usap na ba kayo?”

“Oo.” Jools scratched the back of his head. “Galit parin siya pero naiintindihan ko naman eh.”

_ Galing mo talaga, kupal. _ It felt like the day was just spiralling from one disaster to another and all he could do was pray for the earth to swallow him whole.

The reassuring smile on Red’s face was  _ priceless _ . “At least you tried, hindi ba?”

Jools couldn’t help but smile back and nod along. He was just lucky enough to still be able to resist the urge to pull the other boy in a relieved hug. “True. Ewan, bahala na siguro si Batman.”

“Yan ba philosophy mo sa buhay?” Red sounded genuinely curious, at least. He crossed his arms and raised his brows. “Pati ba sa relationships ganyan ka?”

“For your information, no jowa since birth ako.” Jools cut himself off before he could say more, but the damage was already done. The embarrassing truth was out.

Red raised his brows. “No jowa since birth? Paano si Dolores?”

“I dropped it agad nung nalaman kong bata lang palang siya.” She was sixteen, Jools was nineteen, and everyone else literally insisted it was okay but it wasn’t. Not to him. “Kaya ayun. Fail nanaman.”

“Okay lang yan.” A little smile quirked up Red’s lips and he reached out to pat the taller boy’s shoulders. “Makakahanap ka rin ng iba. Baka nasa tabi mo lang pala--”

He yelped and fell quiet all of a sudden.

“May problema ba?” Jools looked around, wondering what just happened.

“W-Wala -- I-I’m fine --” There was a short pause before Red whipped out packets of stickers from his bag. “P-Pero since medyo magtatagal t-tayo dito, pwede b-ba akong magpatulong na idikit m-mga to sa laptop ko?”

“Idikit? Um, sige.”

There was something Red was trying to say, but there would probably be plenty of time to figure out what it was. For now, they had something else to occupy themselves with.

* * *

The rest of the thirty minutes in the jail booth went by pretty fast, though Jools spent most of it holding a laptop steady so that Red could place a dozen or so stickers on it. Janols’ shadow fell over them not long after the laptop was tucked safely inside Red’s backpack.

“Ayan na, mga ungas. Pwede na kayong mag-bail. Trenta trenta lang po mga mamser.”

The pair fished out bills and coins to pay, held out their hands to get their immunity stamps, and then they were  _ free _ .

Jools heard his stomach growl as soon as they stepped out of booth and into open air. “Shet, sorry, ang lakas nun ah!”

“Ayos lang.” Red giggled and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “S-So, nag-promise ako na ililibre kita ng lunch kasi nag-behave ka.”

The older boy’s cheeks turned redder and redder and he couldn’t do anything to stop it. “H-Huy, ano ka ba? Nakaahiya kaya!”

“Nag-promise naman ako ah. Ano na namang nakakahiya dun?”

Jools’ cheeks turned redder as he looked down and twiddled his thumbs. “H-Hindi ko rin alam, basta n-nakakahiya--”

“Wag ka ngang ano diyan!” Red tugged at his sleeve and started leading him through the crowd. “Masyado kang pabebe.”

“S-Sorry--”

The two of them hurtled through the school grounds, weaving through the crowd of students and guests. Jools wasn’t sure when the sleeve-tugging turned into hand-pulling, but he didn’t want to speak up and ruin the moment.

Before he knew it, they made it through the gates and to the sidewalk. Red paused for a moment, surveying Jools with a happy little smile. “Dun nalang tayo sa Tea-rad Pass para malapit?”

“H-Hindi ba masyadong mahal dun? Akala ko sa ano lang, Ministop, ganun--”

“Ang funny mo talaga.” Red let go of his hand and giggled again.

Jools raised his brows at the comment but said nothing. He followed the other boy along the sidewalk, going past the cement and iron fence of their university and the establishments that lined its immediate area. He felt his fingers twitch as his eyes strayed to Red’s hand.

The temptation to reach out and hold it was strong, but he had to fight back.

***

The cafe, Tea-rad Pass, was blissfully quiet when they arrived. Only a few students were around, most of them wearing lanyards from the psychology department, as everyone else was probably still too busy enjoying the fair. Jools didn’t mind. At least there would be less people to make fun of them or talk too much.

Red steered him to a quiet little nook in the corner and smiled. “Ayan, um, ano nga bang gusto mong kainin..?”

_ Sagot, Julian, sagot! _ Jools felt his throat clench up, though, and all he could squeak out was, “Surprise me.”

That was enough for Red, who flounced off to order for the two of them.

Jools barely had time to catch his breath when he felt his phone vibrate aggressively in his pocket. He found himself groaning as soon as he saw the caller’s name.

_ Foro Carrasco. Wrong timing. _

Not wanting to be rude, he answered it and just hoped that the call would end quickly. “Wassap?”

“Jools, erp. Game ka bang rumaket mamaya?” Foro sounded like he just woke up, which wasn’t  _ exactly _ surprising.

“Raket? Ano to?”

“Ibubugaw ka na namin kasi antagal mo nang single bells.”

“Ulul.” 

Foro laughed. “Ulul ka rin. ‘To naman di na mabiro oy. Diba magpeperform kasi yung banda namin dapat sa program mamaya? Di kasi pwede mamaya si Nonong, la na naman daw boses yung ulul. Wala na rin daw time maghanap ng kapalit na tutugtog yung organizers--”

“So kailangan niyo nalang ng replacement sa vocals ganun?” Dread and excitement mingled in Jools’ gut. He’d never sang onstage. He didn’t mind jamming with friends, but performing in front of a crowd was another thing. The attention-seeker in him reared its ugly head, though, telling him to go for it.”

“Oo erp.” Foro snorted. “Kinakabahan ka ba? Madali lang naman yung set, kita nalang tayo mamayang mga ‘las kwatro para magrehearse. Nakausap ko na kapatid mo kanina, pumayag na siyang hiramin ka muna namin. Paghahatian naman natin yung bayad ng council mamaya. Fair share.”

Jools couldn’t help but grin in spite of himself. “Advanced ka talagang mag-isip no?”

“Nah. Hinanap ka kasi namin sa booth niya, so sakto nakausap namin siya. O, ano, gora ka na ba?”

At Jools’ peripheral vision, he could already see Red on his way back to the table. “Sige. I’m in.”

“‘Takits tayong ‘las kwatro ha? Sa may stage na asi diretso rehearsal. Dun na natin pag-usapan yung set. Promise, simple lang.”

“Deal. See you.” Jools put down his phone as soon as the call ended with an excited little huff.

Red sat across the table from him with a cat-like smile. “Sorry, medyo nagtagal ako.” His eyes flitted to Jools’ phone and blinked. “Wanted ka na ata?”

“Hindi, mamaya pa naman.” A small smile was all Jools could manage. It was one of those rare moments where he had Red all to himself, but he had no idea what to say or do.

“Nag-order ako ng fried chicken para sa’yo. Ayos lang ba yun?”

“Ayos lang.” Jools bit his lip quickly before he made  _ yet another  _ split-second decision. “Actually, nakausap ako nina Foro. Di daw pwede si Nonong mamaya so ako yung magvovocals para sa Team Kingki.”

“Team Kingki.” Red snorted and laughed. “Yun ba pangalan ng banda nila?”

The laughter was enough to kick the tension out of Jools’ system.  _ For now _ . “Oo. Si Janols ata nagbinyag nun dati. Pero... ayun. Magpeperform sila sa opening program mamaya.”

A small pout graced Red’s lips. “Mamaya? Mga anong oras kaya?”

“Di ako sure pero sabi kahapon mga seven daw mag-uumpisa yung program mismo.”

The pout was quickly turning into an upset little frown. “Sayang. May dinner kasi kami ng friends ko, pero try kong humabol kung sakali ha?”

Jools’ cheeks turned red even though he could feel his brief moment of excitement crashing down, leaving an empty feeling of disappointment in his stomach. “A-Ayos lang naman kung hindi ka makahabol. I understand naman, ano ka ba?”

“Grabe ka naman! Syempre gusto kitang mapanood!” Red’s frown grew. “Hindi pa kita narinig magkanta.”

“Hindi naman ako ganun kagaling, kaya nga replacement lang ako--”

“Kaya nga ikaw yung tinawagan nila, ‘di ba?” Red crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. “Wag kang sobrang harsh sa sarili mo, okay?”

Jools opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it and shook his head instead. “Pero paano kung nakahabol ka nga, tapos na-disappoint ka naman?”

“I won’t be disappointed. Sinabi mo rin sakin dati yan nung kinaibigan kita pero di naman nagkatotoo.”

“For now.”

“Never.”

“Hindi ka magpapatalo sa akin no?”

Red stuck his tongue out. “Siyempre, hindi.”

Before he could stop it, a silly grin was already stuck on Jools’ face. He fervently hoped that Red would make it in time to the event, though he was now sure that he would just embarrass himself in front of the crowd.

At least he had something to hold on to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bitch I'm back


	2. Sa Tanghali

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is no Red, but there is a terrified Jools.

_Huwag ka sanang magtanong at magduda._

The school fair was still in full swing despite the fact that the cold morning had melted away into a hot and dusty afternoon. Students and guests still flocked the booths, giggling and bantering with each other. A small distance away, a bunch of younger kids screamed as the viking ship ride swing back and forth. Music blared out from various booths.

Jools traversed through the crowd, trying to look for Goyong's booth. He still had an hour or so to go before meeting with Foro and the rest of Team Kingki, after all.

Goyong looked up from his notebook as he saw his elder brother approach.

"Musta? Mukhang natagalan yung kain mo ah."

"Ang daming nangyari." Jools flopped down on a nearby seat. " _Sobrang dami_."

"Matumal na yung mga customers magmula nung uminit bigla pero okay lang naman. Natriple na natin yung pinambayad ng booth." Goyong closed his notebook and smiled. "So nag-usap na ba kayo ni Pororo?"

Jools snorted. "Mabuti naman. Saka oo, nag-usap na nga kami ni Foro--"

"Pumayag ka ba?" Goyong's eyes lit up in sudden excitement. "Magsasara na kami ng booth mamayang six para makapanood kami ng program kung ganun. Nandun na rin naman mamaya halos yung mga tao."

"Goyong naman. _Naman_. Papanoorin mo talaga akong ipahiya yung sarili ko sa stage?" He was starting to have second thoughts about the whole thing as he imagined an entire crowd staring at him. His hands were starting to grow too cold as his breath began to speed up.

"Kilala kita. Alam ko yung kaya mong gawin. I'm sure hindi mo ipapahiya yung sarili mo."

Another snort followed. Jools straightened himself on his seat and shook his head. "Masyadong malaki yung tiwala mo sa akin."

His younger brother rolled his eyes. "Have you ever thought of the fact na baka masyado mo lang naman pinu-pull down yung sarili mo?"

"Hindi naman sa pinu-pull down ko." Jools bit his lip as he tried to think of the right words to use. He stared aimlessly at the table as he took three calming breaths. "Realistic lang talaga ako."

Goyong pouted. He tossed his notebook on the table and scowled. "Kuya, dahil ba 'to dun sa--"

"Goyong, _tama na_." Jools felt his hands tremble at the mere hint of things he didn't want to remember. "Please."

"Kuya, minsan lang naman yun--"

"Sinabi kong tama na 'di ba?"

Silence fell between the brothers as Jools' sudden outburst lingered in the air. Goyong bowed his head and bit his lip, realizing that he had struck a nerve.

Jools looked away in guilt. "Sorry. Alam ko namang sinusubukan mo lang tumulong pero..." He closed his eyes with a huff.

In his mind's eye, he was fourteen again, guitar in hand and standing in the middle of the stage. The entire student body and half the faculty watched with expectant eyes as he began to sing. Everything had been going so well until their gazes began to overwhelm him and his voice broke in his panic, ruining the magic of the moment.

"Kuya, you love singing. You _can_ sing." Goyong smiled and put a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder. "Alam kong gusto mong magperform ulit, so bakit ka magpapapigil dun sa nangyari dati?"

"Pwede kasing maulit yun eh. Pwedeng pwede." Jools sighed and clenched his fists in frustration -- frustration not over his brother, but himself.  He hated it, the way he felt so anxious whenever he was too aware of the people watching him. He was supposed to be Julian del Pilar, reformed troublemaker, fearless and cheerful.

But no, he was just Jools, an all around _wreck_.

"Kuya..." Goyong shook his head and smiled. "Alam kong anxious ka, lalo na pag nasa harap ka ng maraming tao. Pero ang lungkot namang isipin na ito yung pipigil sa pagkanta mo. We have to fight for the things we love, hindi ba?"

Another moment of silence passed as Jools mulled over his brother's words, accepting his point. He gazed at a flock of boys clustered around a nearby street food stall as he tried to muster all the bravery he still had in him despite the hints of panic that threatened to overwhelm him.

"I'm sorry." A nervous laugh escaped his lips. "Sumusumping nanaman ako. Tangina, nagtataka ako kung bakit tinanggap ko yung invitation ni Foro--"

"Kasi deep down gusto mong gawin yun." Goyong grinned knowingly. "Diba?"

Jools knw he was right, but it still did nothing to allay his fears. "Sige. I'll do my best, kahit na alam kong magkakalat ako. Wala nang oras para maghanap ng kapalit. Besides..."

"Go on."

"Tama ka. We have to _fight for the things we love_."

Goyong chuckled as he elbowed his brother teasingly. "So pag naovercome mo yung stag fright mo mamaya, ready ka na bang gumawa ng move kay Red?"

"Putangina naman, Goyong--" Jools stopped himself and shook his head, the giddy feeling from before halting the feeling of fear. "Pero alam mo ba, nagkita kami kanina."

"Talaga?" There was a happy little sparkle in Goyong's eyes as he regarded his brother with curiosity."Kwento!"

A smile finally showed up on Jools' face as he prepared to tell his brother everything about his encounter with Red.

* * *

It was already five minutes to four, and yet none of the members of Team Kingki were in sight. The stage in the middle of the school field was still empty save for a few members of the student council volunteer staff that were putting last-minute decorations and arranging the instruments. Jools sat at the bottom-most step leading to the small, enclosed backstage area, where instruments were stashed in a corner. He glanced blankly at the pair of dancers in tights who were rehearsing their steps in another corner, completely lost in his thoughts.

He felt his stomach clench as he thought of performing in front of a crowd again five years after that disaster back in high school. He didn't feel ready -- he probably never would -- but there was no backing out now. Besides, Goyong was right. He loved singing, and he can't let his stupid fears hold him back. He might not succeed tonight, but maybe it was the small step he needed.

It was, hopefully, part of growing up.

A shadow fell over him. "Oi, Joojoo."

Julian glanced behind him and almost jumped up at the sight of Waki Alejandrino, Team Kingki's bassist, looming over him with a little scowl.

"'Sup?"

Jools stood up and dusted himself with a sigh. "Eto, kanina pa kayo inaabangan."

"Sorry naman." The scowl turned into a smirk. Waki tapped the surface of his watch. "Nagkaroon lang ng slight delay. Pero saktong alas kwatro naman kami dumating oh."

"Pansin ko nga."

"Oi, Jools!" Foro waved happily behind Waki before approaching them and handing a sheet of paper to Jools. "Ayan yung set list. Hahabol na daw si Janols, inutusan lang nilang bumili ng tubig. Last act daw tayo, pagkatapos nung cultural dance na hanash."

Jools skimmed over the list of songs, feeling relieved that he knew all of them by heart. "Apat na kanta lang naman pala eh! Kakayanin." _Kakayanin_. Of course, he was still a terrified mess, but he was fighting -- and winning for now.

"Good to know."

"Hindi ka na ba pipiyok parang nung high school?" Waki asked with a smirk.

Foro stuck his tongue out. "Nakakabiritan namin sa videoke yang manok ko! Kayang kaya niya yan. _Wag ka ngang ano_."

Jools shot him a grateful smile and nodded. He tried to channel Goyong's confidence in him and before he knew it, he was standing straighter and taller as his smile grew. "Oo nga naman. Ba't niyo ko huhusgahan agad dahil dun sa nangyari noon? Tignan niyo muna mamaya." He was saying that to reassure himself too, but so far it was working.

_So far._

"Anyway, dun na tayo sa may stage." Waki fanned himself with his hands. "Ang init dito sa backstage, mga leche kayo."

"Mabibilad naman tayo sa stage," Foro complained.

"Mabibilad naman talaga tayo mamaya sa ayaw at sa gusto natin."

"Oo nga pero I'm delaying it, erp."

Jools followed them to the main stage area, listening to them bicker.

Andoy Bonifacio, the council officer heading the volunteers, motioned for them to come closer. "Buti nalang on time kayo! Actually may fifteen minutes pa bago mag-start yung rehearsals pero siyempre dapat on time lahat!"

Waki crossed his arms and scowled. "So ba't nga ba kami yung pinauna eh last act naman pala kami?"

"Para hindi pabalik-balik yung equipment niyo. Patutugtugin na namin kayo ngayon para mamaya matabi namin yung gamit niyo. Iwas sagabal na rin."

"Di naman siya wrong," Foro said with a shrug.

Waki's scowl faded away. "True. At least makakakain muna ako katapos ng rehearsals."

"Puro ka kain ulul."

"I'm a growing boy."

"Buti kasama niyo 'tong si _Hulyano_?" Andoy asked, his gaze flickering to Jools. "Diba sina Janols saka Nonong yung bandmates niyo?"

Foro shrugged again. "'Lam mo naman yung si Nonong. Isa pang gago yun. Nakipag-inuman kagabi dun sa karaoke bar nina Kuya Tonyo. Ayun, 'ala daw boses ngayon."

Jools gave Andoy a good-natured smile. The older boy had always terrified him, especially given the fact that he was close to Red and probably didn’t approve of their _friendship_. "I'll do my best naman para hindi maging disappointing yung performance mamaya."

"Dapat lang," Andoy told him. "Ayaw kong maging _flop_ yung first night."

* * *

The sun was already setting. There was an hour left before the program began, and maybe two hours or so left before the last act. The rehearsals went smoothly enough, thankfully, since they barely had enough spectators to make him feel self-conscious and afraid. Jools still launched into overthinking mode as soon as everything was over and now he had to look for a distraction. He found himself wandering around the fair, trying to calm the churning in his stomach.

"Huy, Kuya Jools!"

His ears perked up at the sound of his name being called and he looked up to see Vince and Joven waving to him by an ice cream booth.

"Hey." He sauntered vaguely towards them, forcing a smile on his face and hoping he could fake his confidence until he could make it.

"Hala, Kuya, mukha kang pagod," Joven noted with a tiny frown.

Vince chuckled. "Kamusta rehearsals?" He motioned for a student manning the booth and mumbled something Jools couldn't hear.

"Ayos naman. Hindi naman ganun kahirap yung set, tapos kami pa yung last act."

"Last act? At least wala nang masyadong magulo sa audience nun, unless kaya niyong imaintain yung energy." Vince handed over a cup of rootbeer float. "Libre ko na yan. Parating na sina Goyong, may dalang--"

"Ensaymada for everyone!" Rusca emerged from the crowd with a brown box of his favorite treat. "Ba Jools, tapos na ata rehearsals?"

Jools smiled in confirmation and watched as his friends grabbed a piece of ensaymada each. "Hindi naman siya ganun ka-bad."

"Buti naman."

Goyong joined them with a happy little grin on his face and put an arm around his brother's shoulders. "So napag-usapan namin na kami yung moral support squad mo mamaya."

Vince nodded slyly. "Makikipag-bugbugan kami sa crowd basta makaabot lang kami sa pinakaharapan."

Jools found himself blinking rapidly. He wasn't sure whether to feel touched or be more terrified, so he settled for embarrasment instead. "Mahal ko kayo, mga tsong, pero nakakahiya naman. Di niyo naman kailangang--"

"Hindi nga namin kailangang gawin, pero _gusto_ namin, okay?" Rusca patted the taller boy's head with a laugh. "What are friends for nga ba?"

"Oo nga," Joven beamed. "Ilang years ka nang dakilang third -- fifth? -- wheel sa amin. It's time to give back naman."

Stunned silence fell between all of as Jools was suddenly at a loss for words in front of his expectant friends. He felt his throat clench not from fear, but from the sudden flood of genuine affection that he felt for his friends. He wasn't sure how a fifth wheel like him deserved their open declaration of support over something as trivial as this performance, but he appreciated their kind words and their effort to be there for someone like him.

"Guys, alam niyo bang kayo yung the best?" he finally mumbled.

There was no teasing in Goyong's laughter, only warmth. "We know, Kuya, we know."

Now Jools had more things to look forward to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bukas na ang finale nito. For now, happy balentayms mga kupal.


	3. Sa Gabi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jools is braver. Finally.

_ Aasahang iibigin ka _

The opening program was in full swing. The crowd in front of the stage continued to swell as the night went on, their voices and the loud blare of music mingling with the brilliant lights and the smell wafting from the still-open food stalls.

Jools, along with the rest of Team Kingki, sat at the edge of the small chapel patio stairs that overlooked the stage. The show was only halfway done, and there was still about an hour and a half left before the last act, but Jools could already feel his stomach fluttering. He couldn’t even appreciate what he was watching at this point.

From his vantage point, he can see Goyong and their other friends at the very front of the crowd, standing right beside the barrier. He found himself smiling as he momentarily forgot his troubles.

He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. His fingers seemed to tingle as he fumbled with it, trying to check who messaged him. Red’s name was the first thing he saw and it was enough to make his stomach flip in anticipation.

_ Sorry. Baka hindi na ako makakahabol. Next time nalang, ha? _

And just like that, his good mood went spiralling down for a brief moment. He closed his eyes and tried to hold on to it, reminding himself that it’s not the end of the world. His brother and their friends were still there, and that was what mattered the most tonight. He steeled himself and typed out the most reassuring reply he can think of.

_ Ayos lang, ano ka ba? Basta enjoy ka lang diyan. _

* * *

 

They had around ten minutes or so left before their turn on the stage. The crowd outside happily cheering the last performers competing in the battle of the bands. Team Kingki stood in the backstage, going through a last-minute meeting.

“Alam niyo na naman lahat ng dapat gawin, ‘di ba?” Waki gave Jools a sharp glance as he spoke. “Walang nenerbyosin sa stage, utang na loob.”

“Dude, chill,” Foro hissed. “Baka lalong magpanic yan.”

Jools shook his head and forced out a smile. “Kakayanin ko ‘to, wag kayong ano.”

_ Fake it til you make it, indeed. _

The more he tried to tell everyone that all was going to be well, the more he was starting to believe it.  He still felt the aggressive little jitters in his stomach but fighting the darker thoughts that came with them was now easier than ever.

Waki’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Siguraduhin mo lang.”

Janols waved his arms around like some overgrown bird. “Tama na yan, Waks. Baka umatras bayag nito, sige ka.”

“Di naman ako aatras, mga hmph kayo.” Jools glared at all of them.

“Mabuti naman,” Waki growled.

There was silence on the stage and they all fell quiet. Someone started speaking to the cheering crowd.

Andoy came over with a tight smile. “Pag tinawag nila yung banda, akyat na kayo. Basta make it brief kung may gusto kayong sabihin--”

“We got it covered, erp. Ako nang bahala,” Foro assured him. “Ako na sa speech, tapos si Julian na magkakanta.”

“Good, good.” Andoy paused as the emcee called on the band. “Ayan na, go!”

Jools took a deep breath and followed the rest of the band to the stage. The crowd’s cheering wasn’t as loud as it was just a few minutes ago, but it helped ease the tension. His eyes focused on his brother and their friends as Foro addressed the crowd, making them erupt in a mix of laughter and cheers.

_ Kaya mo to, Julian, _ he told himself as Foro finished his greetings and music started blaring.

He took a deep breath and reminded himself that all was well, grounding himself in the fact that his friends believed in him. He couldn’t -- wouldn’t -- disappoint them.

“Saan darating ang mga salita?”

* * *

 

Everything was great, so far. Foro was addressing the crowd again, telling them that the band was down to its last song. They seemed to be a little disappointed by that, which was probably a good sign.

A line of people started shifting as Foro cracked a joke, making way for a newcomer. Goyong and Joven were waving at whoever this was, motioning for whoever this was to join them while Rusca was whispering something to Enteng, making the younger boy crack a smile. Jools was about to start wondering what was going on when he saw who exactly just squeezed into the front row.

It was Red, and he was waving to Jools.

Jools would have waved back, but the music was starting to play again. All he could do was flash a bright smile as he steeled himself for five more minutes onstage.

_ May oras pa para mag-usap kayo mamaya _ , he told himself.

“ Today is a winding road that's taking me to places that I didn't want to go.”

He was on edge. He barely noticed what’s going on anymore. Even his singing was just on autopilot now. His eyes were trained on Red, whose presence right at that moment made the entire crowd irrelevant.

He heard Foro saying goodbye to the crowd as soon as the song ended. He followed the rest of the band backstage. His mind barely processed the congratulations and the talent fee that they were splitting with him.

The area was almost empty by the time he managed to extract himself from the backstage. Most of the remaining stalls were already closing down for the night. He spots Red lurking by an empty bench area so he quickly makes his way there.

“Yo.” He put his hands in his pockets. “Ikaw lang dyan? Kala ko kasama mo sina Goyong.”

Red shook his head with a shy little smile. “N-Nahiiya ako. Ako l-lang yung walang, um, jowa.”

Jools chuckled softly and sat beside him with a little groan. “Ako din naman ah.”

“Alam mo...” Red cut himself off, looking around to make sure they were truly alone. “Nagtataka nga ako ba’t single ka pa rin. Gwapo ka naman. Mabait pa.”

“Kupal kaya ako. Saka mukhang kasoy--”

“Ayan ka na naman sa kasoy na yan. Hindi ka mukhang kasoy.”

Jools huffd, but he didn’t argue. He was rambling again before he knews it. “Paano ako magkakaroon ng jowa eh malamang sa malamang wala namang feelings sa akin yung gusto ko?”

Expression softening, Red reached out to pat his friend’s arm. “Sure ka na diyan? Sino ba yan? Baka makatulong ako, huy.”

A blush crept up Jools’ cheeks as he averted his gaze. “H-Hindi na. Nakakahiya.”

Red pouted. “Pero sino nga yun?”

“Wag kang magalit, ha?”

“Ba’t ako magagalit? Sino ba kasi yun?”

Lying about it should have been easier, but Jools was a  _ terrible  _ liar. “Ikaw.”

A stunned silence followed his confession. He began to mentally berate himself. He shouldn’t have blabbed about feelings in the first place, damn it. His rambling jeopardized their friendship, he knows it .

“Bakit di mo agad sinabi?” Breaking into a smile, Red began to blush. “I-I like you din. U-Um... f-for a while na, tangina mo.”

_ I like you din. _

Oh.

Fighting the urge to giggle was becoming more and more difficult with every passing second. Jools’ smile was big and silly and it made his cheeks ache but he didn’t care. “T-Talaga?”

“Oo, ang kulit mo.”

“Sana sinabi ko nga sayo agad -- k-kaso akala ko di ka naman papatol sa akin.” He felt so silly. How much time did he waste convincing himself that his feelings would never be reciprocated? 

Red reached out to brush a few locks of hair away from Jools’ eyes. “So, um, ano na? T-Tayo na ba?”

_ Tayo na ba? _

“Kung gusto mo.” The butterflies in Jools’ stomach had no plans of stopping anytime soon. “Ayos lang naman sa akin.”

“G-Gusto ko pero...” Red’s face fell. “Sigurado ka ba?”

“Di ko naman sasabihin kung hindi ako sigurado.” Jools found himself leaning closer and closer until their faces were just inches apart.

“Edi t-tayo na.”

“Tayo na.” Nodding solemnly, he finally took Red’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. It felt right.

Red’s smile returned as he kissed Jools’ cheek. “Good. So, sasabihin na ba natin sa iba?”

“Bukas nalang.” Tilting his head a little, Jools stole a quick kiss from Red’s lips. It’s a little clumsy, but it’s the best he could do for now. “Gusto muna kitang solohin. Kung ayos lang sayo.”

“Ayos na ayos.” Red paused and glanced around as the lights began to shut off. “Closing na pala. Um, uuwi ka na ba niyan?”

“Oo, pero hahanap muna ako ng makakainan. Dinner muna.”

“Ah.” A playful smile brightened up Red’s face as finally squeezed Jools’ hand back. “Walking distance lang naman yung apartment ko. Gusto mo dun ka na lang kumain? Para, um, makapag-usap pa tayo.”

It sounded like a good idea. Jools nodded, mirroring Red’s smile. They still had a lot to talk about.

As he followed Red across the school grounds and through the gate, he noted that he felt lighter than he  did for days. Months, even. He still had issues, but he had a feeling that this would be the start of better things.

Whatever tomorrow threw his way, he was ready to face it. With Red by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Natapos din, hutaena.


End file.
